FIRST AID

If you have pets in your home, would you know what to do if your pet had an emergency? Knowing pet first aid is just as important as learning first aid for humans. You never know when your beloved pet may become ill or injured. Here are some emergency situations and the pet first aid steps you should take if they should occur:

Pet First Aid for Bites

If your pet has been bitten by another animal, you should be very careful when you approach your pet. He or she may bite you in fear. You should muzzle your pet. Next, check your pet’s bite wound to see if there is any debris in it. If there is dirt or debris in the bite you should clean it with saline. If you do not have saline you can use regular water. Next, wrap the wound loosely to keep it clean. If the wound is bleeding badly you should apply pressure to it. Take your pet to the vet.

Pet First Aid for Bleeding

If your pet is bleeding due to an injury or bite you should apply pressure to the wound for at least ten minutes. It is a good idea to muzzle your dog. You should not stop the pressure during this time to see if it has stopped bleeding. This will stop the clotting process. Once the bleeding is under control take your pet to the vet.

Pet First Aid for Fractures

If your pet has a broken bone you should muzzle your pet and control any bleeding that he or she may have. Next, be careful not to pull on the area of the body that has the broken bone. If you can, put your pet on a blanket and lift her into your vehicle and transport her to the veterinarian immediately.

Pet First Aid for Heat Stroke

If you think your pet is suffering from heat stroke, put her in a bath tub full of cool water. If you cannot get her to bathtub use a garden hose or wrap her in wet towels. Be careful that you do not cool your pet down too much. Keep cooling her down until her rectal temperatures goes down to 103 degrees. Take your pet to the vet to be checked out.